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By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator  After numerous applications and interviews, we are thrilled to announce a new recovery coach to our team! Enjoy this interview with Sarah to get to know her more. She is currently taking new virtual recovery coaching clients. Reach out to us to schedule a free 15-minute coaching consultation with Sarah! Megan: Tell me a little bit about yourself and what fueled your interest in helping people to recover from eating disorders? Sarah: My interest in helping people to recover from eating disorders stems from my personal struggle with an eating disorder. At the time, I couldn’t imagine a life without these disordered thoughts/behaviors consuming every waking minute of my day. I felt hopelessly trapped. Looking back, I am so grateful for my friends and family, who pushed me to get the help I needed, yet did not feel worthy of it for so long. Finding and working with my own therapist, who had recovered from an eating disorder herself was a pivotal moment in my own recovery. She showed me that full recovery was and is possible. I am so grateful I reached out for help and held on. It is my passion to hold space for people navigating recovery from eating disorders and body image issues because I know firsthand that true recovery is possible! Megan: What would you say are some common misconceptions when it comes to eating disorders? Sarah: There are so many misconceptions when it comes to eating disorders. To name a few:
Megan: How would you describe your approach as an eating disorder recovery coach? Sarah: My approach is client-centered and empowering. I meet my clients exactly where they are in recovery, and hold space for their feelings, while firmly challenging them to examine their beliefs and behaviors from a place of self-compassion. Megan: Do you subscribe to a health at every size approach? Sarah: Yes, I work within the framework of health at every size. This approach accepts and respects the inherent diversity of body shapes and sizes, and rejects the idealizing or pathologizing of specific weights. My role is to help my clients understand that their purpose in life is not to lose weight or look a certain way in order to have value in this world. HAES means prioritizing your well-being above all else! Megan: How is your life as a recovered person different from your life in an eating disorder? Sarah: There is so much freedom, joy, and room for spontaneity in my life as a recovered person! Recovery has allowed me to connect to my personal values and true self in an entirely new way. I’ve uncovered new passions and hobbies, formed new and tended to old relationships and connections, and re-discovered a love for ALL FOODS (notably ice cream and pizza). Megan: What is one piece of advice that you would give someone who is struggling in their recovery? Sarah: Be gentle with yourself as you go through the healing process; recovery is not linear. There will be victories and moments of discomfort. My piece of advice is to lean into the moments of discomfort, even if you don’t feel “ready”. Give yourself grace when you are all down, and know that each and every time you get back up, you’re choosing recovery. You got this! Megan: What are your biggest pet peeves about diet culture? Sarah: One of my biggest pet peeves about diet culture is the normalization and glorification of disordered tendencies in the pursuit of “health”. Diet culture is sneaky. It tells us there is a “right” and “wrong” way to eat. It normalizes eating disorder behaviors like restriction or excessive exercise. It tells us that a thin body is the epitome of health. This messaging is everywhere from social media to grocery store aisles or casual conversations with coworkers over the most recent fad diet. As a result of these messages and societal expectations, it can be difficult to differentiate between a health-conscious behavior and an eating disorder behavior. When the line between health and eating disorder gets blurry, take a step back and ask yourself: Does this satisfy ME or my eating disorder? What is my motivation behind this food choice or behavior? Megan: What would be a few of your tips for someone who is struggling with negative body image in recovery? Sarah: My first tip for someone who is struggling with negative body image in recovery is to stay off the scale! The number on the scale does not define your worth, and can be incredibly triggering! Instead, think about and celebrate all of the amazing things your body does for you—dancing, breathing, laughing, dreaming, etc. Your body is a vehicle to carry you through life- not a metric of self-worth! My second tip is to set goals for your body image journey that have nothing to do with the physical size/shape of your body. Words that may resonate with you include trust, respect, compassion, gratitude, neutrality, and acceptance. Get clear on what it is that you want out of recovery, and remember that trust in your body is important to fully embrace recovery! My third tip is to be gentle with yourself! Do something nice for yourself — something that lets your body know you appreciate it. Put lotion on yourself, make time for a nap, or find a peaceful place outside to relax. When you’re struggling, try to lean into self-compassion. Here are some of my favorite self-compassionate statements to consider:
My fourth tip is to ask yourself what might be underneath your bad body image. Often it's easier to say "I hate my thighs" than "I feel lonely and alone." Trying to figure out the underlying emotions can be so helpful in addressing what is actually going on-and helping you to realize that often folks use their body as a punching bag for other issues in their lives. Want more? Check out this blog that explains what recovery coaching is and how it can benefit your recovery journey! The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia, as well as in D.C. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California, serving those in cities including Palo Alto, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Jose, and Beverly Hills. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LCSW-C As a therapist who specializes in both eating disorders and mood disorders (including bipolar disorder and depression) based in Rockville, Maryland, I find that there are many therapists who are not knowledgeable about bipolar disorder and that there is also a lot of stigma surrounding it.
The following are a few tips for coping if you are struggling with bipolar disorder. You can thrive in your life with a bipolar diagnosis, despite popular misconceptions and stigma. 1. Find a therapist and treatment team who specialize in bipolar disorder. It's so important to find a therapist who specializes in bipolar disorder if you are struggling with it, as there are many factors that are important to address and most graduate programs do not spend time discussing specifically how to treat bipolar disorder. You wouldn't see a primary care physician for brain surgery. Additionally, medication can be helpful for many individuals with bipolar disorder. It can be helpful to find a psychiatrist who is well versed in bipolar disorder and who you can reach out to for intervention if you notice that your mood is shifting. It's important to note that SSRIs and SNRIs on their own can lead to hypomanic and/or mania for many individuals with bipolar disorder so typically if someone with BP is on one of those medications a mood stabilizer will be added. 2. Track your mood, triggers, and symptoms. In order to learn how to better cope and manage mood episodes, it can be helpful to begin by tracking your mood states, as well as various triggers and symptoms for a few weeks. While sometimes moods can shift with no obvious triggers, there are other times where you may notice that things externally can contribute. This can help to cultivate an awareness of how to better manage triggers. It can also be helpful to start to be able to recognize subtle shifts that could indicate the beginning stages of a depressive, hypomanic or manic episode-that way you can hopefully intervene before it becomes a full blown episode. Examples of some common potential triggers for mood state shifts include: -medication changes -a reduction in sleep/sleep changes in general -stressful life circumstances -for some folks seasonal changes 3. Once you have a better understanding of some of your warning signs of the development of a depressive, hypomanic, or manic episode-it can be helpful to develop a plan for how you will cope if you notice warning signs and to share this document of warning signs and a coping plan with loved ones. Some examples of potential coping strategies could include: -When feeling hypomanic or manic, running any major life decisions by a friend or partner before acting (and potentially giving credit cards to a loved one as well). -Behavioral activation strategies for depression. -Calling your psychiatrist when you notice yourself going into a hypomanic, manic, or depressive episode. 4. Work to find a sense of community. Living with bipolar disorder may feel isolating. So it can be helpful to find community of others with the diagnosis either online or in person. It can also be helpful to further educate yourself about bipolar disorder and listen to stories of others. There are a few good podcasts on the topic. One that I was a guest on which is a great podcast is called Live Well Bipolar. The Bottom Line While living with bipolar disorder can present challenges, you can learn how to better cope, manage triggers, and develop a great treatment team, which can enable you to thrive and live a life according to your true values. Book Your Free 15 min Consult for Therapy for bipolar disorder (co-morbid with an eating disorder or on it's own) in MD, VA or FL. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia, as well as in D.C. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California, serving those in cities including Palo Alto, San Francisco, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, Woodland Hills, San Jose, and Beverly Hills. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator  Reaching out for help can be scary! As a team of clinicians and administrative staff who are either personally recovered or who have helped a loved one through recovery, we get that. We work to make the intake process as easy and straight forward as possible. Our clinicians are all eating disorder and body image specialists. In addition to being able to work with anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, and trauma, our clinicians have extensive experience and training working with people struggling with eating disorders. Check out this blog on the benefits of seeing an eating disorder specialist when you are struggling. How do I reach out for help? The first step to reaching out for help with us, is to fill out this contact form on our website. This will give us some information about you, your contact information, where you are located, and what you are looking for help with. After that form is submitted, you will receive an email from us that gives you more information about The Eating Disorder Center and what to expect. If you haven't seen our email by the end of the day, please check your spam, promotions, and quarantine folders. The next step is to reply to the email from us. When you reply to our email, an administrative assistant will respond to help coordinate who on our team may be the best fit for you. The administrative staff are happy to discuss fees and questions about each of our clinicians and services with you. The administrative assistants at the center know about all of the clinicians and the clinician speciality areas. They will be able to match you with a clinician - based on your goals, location, age, and availability. You are also happy to check out our website and see which clinicians may be a good fit for you! Check out this blog on what recovery coaching is and the benefits of this amazing service. How do I get connected with a clinician? After you contact us and respond to our admin team, the therapist or coach will be provided with your contact information. They will reach out within a few business days to schedule an initial session or a consultation. If you and the clinician decide to proceed with an initial session, new client paperwork will be made for you. A unique link will be sent to the email address that we have been using to communicate directly with you. Using this secure link, you can fill out the new client paperwork needed to confirm your appointment. The paperwork must be completed before your session, and we can help answer questions that come up for you. Need help? Our administrative assistants are here to help this process. Feel free to email us at [email protected] or give us a call at 301 246 6856. They will be more than happy to assist you. Then, you are all set until you meet with your clinician! If it’s a virtual session, they will send you a link for secure telehealth visits before the start of your session. We are honored that you have started your healing journey with us! Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, VA, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
By Megan Samuels, MSW, LMSW, Outreach Coordinator  Content Warning: This blog post discusses trauma. Please take care of yourself, in whatever way that looks like for you. There is often a high prevalence of people who struggle with an eating disorder and symptoms of trauma. There are some overlapping symptoms, such as changes in eating habits and changes in mood, just to name a few. I define trauma as any experience that overwhelms one’s self or nervous system to the point where they are unable to cope effectively. There are so many examples of trauma, as every human responds to situations differently. When we think of trauma, we tend to think of abuse, neglect, natural disasters, adoption, etc. However, I think it’s important to expand our definition of trauma, to include diet culture, racism, colonialism, sexism, ableism, transphobia, the COVD-19 pandemic, bullying, and not having a secure attachment style with a primary caregiver. These are just a few of the many examples of trauma that people experience. I also believe that having an eating disorder can be seen as a trauma. When we think about eating disorder symptoms, such as restricting, purging, or binge eating - those can have health impacts on our bodies that can be seen as a trauma to our bodies. Part of eating disorder recovery can include healing our relationship with our bodies in a way that our bodies can trust ourselves to work with, instead of against, our bodies. As eating disorder therapists and coaches, there is a high likelihood that our clients have experienced trauma. Here are some reasons why having trauma-informed care in eating disorder recovery is important:
The bottom line: Trauma-informed care in eating disorder recovery is something that I am very passionate about, and that I think it critical in the treatment of eating disorders. Here are some questions to ask your providers to assess if they are trauma-informed:
Looking for more? The therapists and coaches at The Eating Disorder Center are trauma-informed providers for the treatment of eating disorders. Our center acknowledges that trauma is a wide spectrum and we are continuously receiving further training and supervision on how to support our clients in a trauma-informed way. Schedule a free 15 min consult for eating disorder therapy in MD, DC, VA, NY, FL, or recovery coaching worldwide. Click here. The Eating Disorder Center is a premier outpatient eating disorder therapy center founded by Jennifer Rollin. We specialize in helping teens and adults struggling with anorexia, binge eating disorder, bulimia, OSFED, and body image issues. We provide eating disorder therapy in Rockville, MD, easily accessible to individuals in Potomac, North Potomac, Bethesda, Olney, Silver Spring, Germantown, and Washington D.C. We also provide eating disorder therapy in Arlington, Virginia and virtually throughout Virginia. Additionally, we offer eating disorder therapy virtually in New York (NYC), Washington DC, Florida, and California. We provide eating disorder recovery coaching via Zoom to people worldwide. Connect with us through our website at www.theeatingdisordercenter.com
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